LG to settle medical bill for woman whose hands were chopped off

Taita Taveta Woman Representative Joyce Lay (left), her Meru counterpart Florence Kajuju (right) and businesswoman Esther Passaris console Jackline Mwende at her father’s home in Machakos County. (Photo: Willis Awandu/Standard)

There is a ray of hope for a woman whose hands were chopped off allegedly by her husband.

Electronics firm LG promised to settle Jackline Mwende's medical bill.

Wednesday, Kenyans continued pouring into the homestead of Samuel Munyoki in Kathama, Machakos County, to visit his daughter Ms Mwende. Among those who visited her were woman representatives Susan Musyoka (Machakos), Mary Seneta (Kajiado), Florence Kajuju (Meru) and businesslady Esther Passaris.

During the visit, Lilian Nganga, Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua's wife offered to give Sh30,000 per month for a year.

But as the details of the tragedy continued to unfurl, area chief Salome Mutisya recalled Mwende and her husband Stephen Ngila had gone to her office to solve their marital problems.

"They came into my office with both parents so that we could help them patch things up, after which they went home only to hear that this tragic occurrence had happened," she said.

The chief said she never imagined the issue would get out of hand.

"There are offices or places where people can solve such issues so that they do not get out of hand," Ms Mutisya added. Federation of Women Lawyers in Kenya (Fida) chairperson Josephine Mong'are said religious leaders may be contributing to violence in families by urging partners to just keep praying.

Ms Mong'are said: "Pastors should stop telling people to continue staying in their marriages to a point that they are killed because women who find themselves in abusive relationships should have the courage to walk out."

The Fida boss added that the organisation had taken up the case and would see its conclusion. Ngila will appear in court on Friday.

Mwende had vowed to stay in her marriage because of the vows she took in church during their wedding seven years ago.

Nairobi Women's Hospital's Gender Violence Recovery Centre executive director Alberta Wambua said last year alone, they handled 3,600 cases of gender-based violence.

Taita Taveta Woman Representative Joyce Lay urged couples to accept cases of infertility.